like it's been suggested, you should get seachem stability and do bigger water changes like 50% or more even every 12 hours not just daily.. if you don't feel like wasting water use it to water your plants.. 
Cycling Issues
- Thread starter nicshoe18
- Start date
what test kit are you using? are your fish still getting bloated?
and yes, fish water* is awesome for plants.
*do not use water from a marine aquarium on plants. Salt is not good for garden plants.
and yes, fish water* is awesome for plants.
*do not use water from a marine aquarium on plants. Salt is not good for garden plants.
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the % of the water change should have am immediate impact on the ppm of the nitrite.. ie: 5 ppm nitrite do 50% wc and you should have about 2.5 ppm nitrite.
keep in mind that in hours this reading will change as more nitrite is added by the fish /food etc.
this is why many will do multiple water changes during the cycle.
btw you can add conditioners like prime which may lock up/detox nitrite
keep in mind that in hours this reading will change as more nitrite is added by the fish /food etc.
this is why many will do multiple water changes during the cycle.
btw you can add conditioners like prime which may lock up/detox nitrite
I've been told about 5 different things to do. As well I've also been told massive water changes at the 50% mark more than every other day causes serious distress and should be done in the 25-30% range if doing wc's daily. THIS is why I opted for the more conservative route because the "LIKE ITS BEEN SUGGESTED" suggestions have been all over the place as what and what not to do.
API test kit. I'm only guessing that Nitrites are maxed out, levels do not change after immediate wc, though Nitrate levels have greatly diminished. bloating seems to go up and down. some days they look good and others they are a little more round. behavior has not changed a bit, no one looks stressed. tetras are a little pissed cause I cut back on food a little. they no longer school and each has claimed and defends an area of the tank where they patiently wait for food.
I've been a bit leary about chemically detoxifying the water. I've really been striving for a more natural approach to ensure bacteria colonies get to the levels they should be. However if you think this is the appropriate time to do so, I will. I was always told to not do wc's during the first cycle. I wish I had joined the forums a little earlier as I have found that this practice is more common than I was led to believe.
Star, Hebily, and many others... thank you for constructive feedback. I'll keep up with your suggestions and keep you posted on the progress.
API test kit. I'm only guessing that Nitrites are maxed out, levels do not change after immediate wc, though Nitrate levels have greatly diminished. bloating seems to go up and down. some days they look good and others they are a little more round. behavior has not changed a bit, no one looks stressed. tetras are a little pissed cause I cut back on food a little. they no longer school and each has claimed and defends an area of the tank where they patiently wait for food.
I've been a bit leary about chemically detoxifying the water. I've really been striving for a more natural approach to ensure bacteria colonies get to the levels they should be. However if you think this is the appropriate time to do so, I will. I was always told to not do wc's during the first cycle. I wish I had joined the forums a little earlier as I have found that this practice is more common than I was led to believe.
Star, Hebily, and many others... thank you for constructive feedback. I'll keep up with your suggestions and keep you posted on the progress.
It's awesome that you care enough about your fish to be here asking these questions. Many people don't. On that note, I hope you realize that what follows in this post is not intended to do anything except clear up where you feel that you have been given opposing information.
Prime will detoxify ammonia and nitrites, but they will still show up on tests, and they still feed bacteria. I would definately use it and stability asap. Stability will ADD the bacteria to help your cycle!
nitrites change when you do a water change, but don't indicate a change because:
your reagent is faulty,
or, more likely,
you are at over double the max indicated on nitrites before you do your water change.
You shouldn't do water changes during your cycle. You should cycle w/o fish. Sense you wound up cycling with fish, you must do many waterchanges or they will die.
Large water changes can be a problem. BUT only if your fish have not had a waterchange in a long time. If you routinely change your water, you could do 75% twice a day, and it wouldn't cause problems.
A POSSIBLE cause of high nitrites: a dead fish. I've been told in the past that although ammo, ites, and ates are all products of decomposition, certain forms of decomp produce more of one than the others. to me, this makes sense. I've been told that a dead fish left in a tank can cause a nitrite spike, w/o greatly affecting ammo or ates. Obviously, over time your bact colonies will grow, consume the ites, and convert them to ates. Your plants will consume both, and water changes will remove both. So, what I am trying to say, abbreviated, is: A dead fish that you have not found may be causing your nitrite spike.
So, the abriged version of this post:
I reccomend dosing prime and stability ASAP.
I reccomend testing your water, doing a 50% water change, immediately testing your water, if still above .25ppm ites, doing a 50% water change, immediately testing your water, it still above .25 ppm ites, rinse and repeat. Do this until you indicate less than .25 ppm nitrites. BUT make sure your water is conditioned with dechlorinator, and that it is the same temp as your tank water before adding it.
Prime will detoxify ammonia and nitrites, but they will still show up on tests, and they still feed bacteria. I would definately use it and stability asap. Stability will ADD the bacteria to help your cycle!
nitrites change when you do a water change, but don't indicate a change because:
your reagent is faulty,
or, more likely,
you are at over double the max indicated on nitrites before you do your water change.
You shouldn't do water changes during your cycle. You should cycle w/o fish. Sense you wound up cycling with fish, you must do many waterchanges or they will die.
Large water changes can be a problem. BUT only if your fish have not had a waterchange in a long time. If you routinely change your water, you could do 75% twice a day, and it wouldn't cause problems.
A POSSIBLE cause of high nitrites: a dead fish. I've been told in the past that although ammo, ites, and ates are all products of decomposition, certain forms of decomp produce more of one than the others. to me, this makes sense. I've been told that a dead fish left in a tank can cause a nitrite spike, w/o greatly affecting ammo or ates. Obviously, over time your bact colonies will grow, consume the ites, and convert them to ates. Your plants will consume both, and water changes will remove both. So, what I am trying to say, abbreviated, is: A dead fish that you have not found may be causing your nitrite spike.
So, the abriged version of this post:
I reccomend dosing prime and stability ASAP.
I reccomend testing your water, doing a 50% water change, immediately testing your water, if still above .25ppm ites, doing a 50% water change, immediately testing your water, it still above .25 ppm ites, rinse and repeat. Do this until you indicate less than .25 ppm nitrites. BUT make sure your water is conditioned with dechlorinator, and that it is the same temp as your tank water before adding it.
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yep what he said :lol:
Oh and just to be sure (you might already be doing this), dechlorinate your water outside of the tank before putting it in. that way you aren't killing the bacteria you've worked so hard to get in there with the chlorine in the tap water.
Oh and just to be sure (you might already be doing this), dechlorinate your water outside of the tank before putting it in. that way you aren't killing the bacteria you've worked so hard to get in there with the chlorine in the tap water.
if you utilize a water changer like a python you can add conditioner for the volume of the tank.
the temp needs to be close but does not have to be exact..the fish are not that sensitive to the temp. (in some species cool water triggers spawns)
remember dilution is the solution to pollution(I really hate this saying but it does apply)
.
ammonia , nitrite and nitrate readings will be affected with water changes and the changes should be immediate.
a 50% water change will only reduce the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at most by half.
repeating water changes will slowly decrease the concentration of the toxins.
the point is that you should try to get the concentration to below .25 ppm
if you are at 5 you either need to do a really large water change or several 50% water changes..
btw I have changed as much as 75 % in a single change with no ill effect on the fish.
the temp needs to be close but does not have to be exact..the fish are not that sensitive to the temp. (in some species cool water triggers spawns)
remember dilution is the solution to pollution(I really hate this saying but it does apply)
.
ammonia , nitrite and nitrate readings will be affected with water changes and the changes should be immediate.
a 50% water change will only reduce the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate at most by half.
repeating water changes will slowly decrease the concentration of the toxins.
the point is that you should try to get the concentration to below .25 ppm
if you are at 5 you either need to do a really large water change or several 50% water changes..
btw I have changed as much as 75 % in a single change with no ill effect on the fish.
Updates:
Water changes have been going great, still no change Nitrite levels though, all of my Nitrates have vanished. All fish are accounted for, no dead.
I dosed Prime and Stability last night. I wake up this morning and everyone is stressed like you wouldn't believe. Swords are listless on the bottom of the tank, Tetras are manic, and everyone has Ich. I tested the water, Nitrites still above 5ppm.
I will go ahead with 50% water change as planned for this afternoon.
Another question, if you dose with Prime and still will show Nitrites on your test, how are you ever supposed to know how high your Nitrite levels actually are?
Water changes have been going great, still no change Nitrite levels though, all of my Nitrates have vanished. All fish are accounted for, no dead.
I dosed Prime and Stability last night. I wake up this morning and everyone is stressed like you wouldn't believe. Swords are listless on the bottom of the tank, Tetras are manic, and everyone has Ich. I tested the water, Nitrites still above 5ppm.
I will go ahead with 50% water change as planned for this afternoon.
Another question, if you dose with Prime and still will show Nitrites on your test, how are you ever supposed to know how high your Nitrite levels actually are?
I have started doing two 33% water changes each day because my nitrite keeps creeping up. I do one at 5AM and then another around 8PM. Although it is kind of a pain, I don't mind as long as it means I have a better chance of having a health tank. We are three weeks into the tank (I think) but I am discovering that I did everything wrong (kind of). We inherited the tank so i assumed it was good to go, gave away the big fish but stocked too many small fish I think. So until I get another tank the water changes will continue until things stablize.
